You likely spend at least as much time in your apartment every day as you do your workplace, so when it comes time to apply for a new apartment, personal finance blog Get Rich Slowly recommends treating it like a job interview.

The majority of applications are going to ask for the same information. Put together a basic one- or two-page document containing this commonly requested information. Even if the landlord or property manager makes you fill out the application anyway, at least you'll already have everything on hand. Be sure to include:

Full names of everyone on application

Dates of Birth

Contact information (phone and e-mail)

Current address (length, landlord information, reason for leaving)

Previous addresses (with additional information)

Social Security numbers

Current employment information (salary, length, contact information)

Past employment (with additional information)

Personal references

Vehicle information (make, model, plates, driver's license number)

Pet(s) information (breed, size, age)

I've had great luck in my apartment searches over the years, which I've always attributed to a multi-pronged apartment hunting strategy and a good dose of preparedness. Get Rich Slowly's rental resume is a great bit of advice for apartment hunters (though as Brontide points out, you may want to leave out your Social Security number until you turn it over), as are their eight other tips for knocking the socks off your next landlord.